Fluid conditioning method and apparatus



Nov. 1, 1932. 5' ANDERSQN 1,885,791

FLUID CONDITIONING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Feb. 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l AMPLIFIER his Nov. 1, 1932. s. M. ANDERSON FLUID CONDITIONING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Feb. 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gvwemfoz 5. ,g d wson aw/21 s SHIN-Mei;

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Patent-ed Nov. 1, 1932 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE SAMUEL M. ANDERSON, OF SHARON, MASSACHI J'SETTS, ASSIGNOR TO B. I. S'IURTEVANT COMPANY, OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS FLUID conm'rlomne METHOD AND arrium'iurs I Application filed February 6, 1931. Serial No. 513,809. i

ods and apparatus for controlling the relative humidity of the air within an enclosure.

It is becoming better and better known that living conditions in heated rooms are greatly improved when the air within the rooms contains a substantial amount of moisture or water vapor which tends to prevent the drying of the nasal and throat vpassages of the occupants. This moisture also tends to prevent the circulation of dust, which in itself is undesirable and may be injurious. Also, in certain manufacturing processes, among which are the manufacture of paper and the manufacture of cloth, the presence of a certain amount of moisture is necessary in the air in which the processes are employed. The heating systems generally employed for heating buildings effectively reduce the relative amount of moisture in the air so that it has been found desirable to provide humidifying apparatus for introducing'additional moisture to compensate for the loss of relative humidity through the heating process.

A relative humidity of from fifty I to fifty-five percent is in many cases desirable, but in cold weather and especially o in extremely cold weather, such a high degree of moisture in the air of a closed room is attended by a serious disadvantage, in that a low outdoor temperature chills the window panes of the room, causing the moisture, in 35 the air of the room to condense thereon, and

if this condensation is excessive, the window pane becomes frosted or clouded and the view is obscured. In many cases it may be desirable that the moisture content of the air 0 in a room be as high as possible without producing this condensation of the moisture on the window surface, but due to the wide range of outdoor temperatures during the 5 winter months, and the resulting difference in temperature between the heated a1r 1n the room and the outside air, the relative amount of moisture which can be supplied to the room 7 without causing condensation will corr e- 50 spondingly vary within wide limits.

through a window pane,

An object of this invention is to control the vapor content of a fluid.

Another object of the invention is to automatically control the supply of moisture to a the air within a. room by observation of the condensation of moisture from the air on the surface ofa window of the room.

In one form of the invention a photo-electric cellwhich hasthe property of varying the current in itselectrical circuit, proportional to light variations impressed upon it, is subjected to the action of light passing or other similarly located transparent medium of a heated room, and the variationin the light striking the photo-electric cell caused tio'n'of moisture on the surface of the window pane, is caused toactuate for controlling the moisture supply. The outer surface of the window or other transparent medium is in contact with and, thereby the condensacontrol apparatus fore, responsiveto the action of the outdoor temperatures, and the inside surface is in contact with and, therefore, subject to the ac- "intensity of light directed upon the photoelectric cell begins to decrease. This decrease in light actuates through the photo-electric cell, control circuits to automatically control the amount of moisture added to the air from the humidifier or other source. When the condensation has disappeared from the surface of' the window, the light striking the photo-electric cell increases, and actuates control circuits to increase the amount of moisture supplied to the air.

The invention disclosed and claimed here is for a modification of the invention disclosed in my Patent No. 1,789,268, issued January 13, 1931, and is for methods and apparatus which have been found practical in the appliconditioning plants.

' reference to-the drawings, of which:

Fig, 1 isa schematic view of one form of of va ve control which can be used themvention for controlling the moisture 5 content of the air within a room;

Fig.- 2 is a side view of the apparatus mounted near a window;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus shown -by Fi 4 1s a plan view of a light shutter *whic is used in the system shown Ib Figs. 1, 2, and3 to control the amount of lig t reaching the photo-electric cell in the system, and

Fi 5 is adiagrammatic view'ofa form to replace that shown in Fig. 1. d Referring now to Fi 1, the window pane 6 has its left side'(fac1ng the drawing) exposed to the outside air and its other side so exposed to the air-within the heated room or becomes such that a portion 'of the moisture within the room condenses on the inner surface of the window pane 6, this film of-condensed moisture shuts off and difiuses a portion of the light in the beam between the lamp 12 and mirror 15, between the mirror 15'and the mirror 30, and between the photo-electric cell- 16 and the mirror 15. The efiect of the condensed moisture is m ed by having it cut off a portion of the lig beameach of the four times that the latter passes through the film of moisture and the window pane. Normally, there is no moisture condensed on the window pane 6, and a strong light beam from the-lamp 12 strikes the cathode of the photo-electric cell 16. Due to the strong light, there is maximumcurrent flow in the photo-electric cell circuit, which currentis amplified through the amplifier 17 and energizes the winding of the relay 19,- with'the 35 v 4 other enclosure. The humidifier .7 serves to result that the armature21 of the relay 19.

beam is illustrated by the dash-dotlines.

.up in the photoelectric-cell by light variatlons, which electrical variations, inthe form.

I 7 ings of the relay 19.

supply moisture through thenozzle 8 into the room. The humidifier -7 is sup'lied' with water. from the water suppl 9, t eamount of water reac the humi er being controlled by the v ve which is operated by the motor 11. Placed within the room adjacent the window 'ane 6 is the electric lamp 12, the filament 0 which is heated by current from the battery 13. The light fromthe lamp 12 passes through thelens 14, the window Y pane 6, is reflected by the large mirror 15, through the window pane 6, to strike-the small mirror 30, which reflects the light again through the window pane where it'again strikes the large mirror 15, and is again reflected through the window pane to strike the light sensitive cathode of the hoto-electric cell 16. The projected and re ected light The photo-electric cell is connected electrically-to the. amplifier '17 which is energized from the alternating current source 18, and whlch amplifies the electrical variations set of, amplified current, pegs-through the windg en suflicient current flows through the relay 19 to overcome the force of the spring 20, the. armature 21 of the rela pulls up to open the electrical circuit of. e motor"11,'including armature 21, conitact 23, and the alterna;

- At the same time an electrical circuit is closed through armature 21, contact 22, battery 24,

- current source 18.

and solenoid 25, to cause, upon energization of thedsddenpiild 25, the light shutter 26 to be carrie y e'solenoid plunger 27 against the pull of the spring 28, in front of the tube u '29 through which the li ht through them.

" dow reaches the photo-e ectric cell 16.

' g In operation, the humidifier supplies atomized moisture into the roomthroughthe nozzle .8. When the difi'erence in temperature beel tween the outside and the insideof. the room Y is pulled up, as shown by Fig. 1, toclose the electrical circuit including the armature 21, the contact 22, the battery 24, andthe solenoid winding. 25. The'tube 29, placed-between .the :window pane 26 and the photo-electric cell 16, serves to efiectively prevent any light 'reachingthe light sensitive cathode of the photo-electric cell, except that-reaching the photo-electric cell from the mirror 15. As moisture condenses on the inner surface of the window pane 6, the intensi of the light reaching the photo-electric ce 16 is so decreased that a much smaller currentflows through the photo-electric cell'circuit inthe amplifier 16 and the energizing winding of the relay 19. The current through the energ winding is so 'reduced'that the'spring.

to supply moisture to the enclosure until the moisture disappears from the window'pane, when increase electric cell and the relay 19 is energized to open the circuit of themotor '11, at which light will strike the photov time the valve 10 is again opened by a spring. (not shown) to supply water to the humi er. Y

When the moisture appears on the window ane to cause the release of the armature 21 y the de-energization of the relay 19, the electrical circuit, including the contact 22, the armature 21, the battery 24, and the solenoid winding .25, is opened, permitting the spring 28 to pull the plunger 27 'of the: solenoid downwardly and remove thev light shutter 26 from between the photoelectric-cell tube 29 and'the window pane 6. The purpose of the light shutter- 26 is to compensate for thetendency of a photo-electric cell to sometimes react onl tocomparatively great changes of light. or example, it has been found that while the photo-electric cell 16 responds, in practically all instances, to the light variations caused by the condensation of moisture upon the window pane, there have been instances where the photo-electric .-cell,- due to its physical enertia or other reasons, failed to react as satisfactorily as is desirable upon the appearance of a slight amount of moisture upon the window pane, It was found that if once the bright light from the lamp 12 was allowed to reach the photo-electric cell 16 without the use of the shutter 26, and with no moisture on the window pane,-and then a small amount of moisture did appear on the window pane, the photo-electric cell 16 would, occasionally, not react to the presence of the moisture, unless the light reaching the photo-electric cell was decreased somewhat. \Vith the decreased light, such as caused by the interposition of the shutter 26, the photo-electric cell responds quickly to the presence of a very small amount of condensed moisture on the window pane. \Vhen, however, the moisture disappears from the window pane and itis desired that very strong currents flow again through the relay 19, to cause the supply of water to the humidifier, it is desirable that the illumination reaching the photo-electric cell be greatly increased to cause the necessary increase in current for energizing the relay. It becomes desirable, therefore, for the light shutter to be removed from between the photo-electric cell and the window pane, when it is desired that the humidifier be started up again. The control of the electrical circuit of the light shutter solenoid 25, by the movement of the armature relay 21, serves to automatically vary the amount of light reaching the photo-electric cell upon the appearance or disappearance of moisture upon the window pane. The apparatus is so adjusted that, normally, with no moisture on the window pane, the light shutter 26 is between the photo-electric cell 16 and the pane, and the current through the relay 19 is sulficient to overcome the pull of the spring 20 on the armature 21, keeping the electrical circuit of the solenoid closed so that the shutter remains before the photo-electric cell and the electrical circuit of the motor 11 open so that the water supply valve 10 is open, permitting condition to respond, when the moisture condensed on the window pane disappears, to the increased light caused thereby and again en- \ergize therelay 19 tocause it to pull up the armature 21 and to operate theihumidifier. Obviously, the light shutter could be placed between the lamp 12 and the window pane 6 instead of between the cell 16 and the pane 6.

In the adaptation of this invention for use in ordinary buildings, it was foundmost advantageous, as illustrated byFigs. 2 and 3, to mount the photo-electric cell 16 and the lamp 12 in the small enclosure 31, which, in turn, is mounted on the frame 36 which is secured by the screws 32.0nto the window sill 33 within a room, the air ofwhich it is desired to humidity. The mirror 15 is attached, as clearly shown by Fig. 2, to the lower portion of the windowframe by means of the wing nuts 34 and the frame 35. The enclosure 31, which houses the photo-electric cell 16 and the lamp 12 also has mounted on one ofits sides the lens 14, the mirror 30, and the tube 29. The solenoid 25, which controlsthe light shutter 26, is also mounted within the enclosure 31. The electrical leads to the photo-electric cell 16 are led through the cable 37 to the control and supplyapparatus. The leads to the-light source 12 are led through other leads (not shown).

A view of the shutter 26 is shown by Fig. 4. This light shutter may be an ordinary piece of glass which is shaded, as indicated, to decrease the amount of light which is permitted to pass therethrough.

Fig. 5 illustrates another form of valve control which may ,be used to replace the motor operated control of Fig. 1. The solenoid 38 is connected in the electrical circuitin such a way that it is energized from the source 18 by the pull up of the armature 21 to contact with the contact 43. Upon energization, its plunger 39 is pulled into the solenoid against the action of the spring 40 within the valve 10 to cause the piston 41 to become unseated and thus permit the supply of water from the tank 9 to the'humidifier 7,

when there is no condensation on the window operation .of the system with no control. I Whereas the lamp as energized by the battery 13 and the solenoid'25 by the battery 24, obviously, in a has been found particularly suitable for comindividual installation. r v v r 'Wher'eas one embodiment of this invention a has been described for the purpose of illusmercial installations. The important apparatus is housed in a compact, neat-appearin enclosure which can be conveniently place within a room and is thus not exposed to damage from weather changes. The mirror '15, which is the only piece of apparatus mounted outside ofwthe enclosure and exposed to the'weather, obviously is not fragile and maybe a chromium of any other suitable reflecting surface. The device, by being adapted to-be used with an ordinary win dow pane, permits simplified apparatus and a small installation cost. 1 I The embodiment of-the invention illustrated has'b'eendes cribed asbeing laced adjacent a single panepof glass. 7 bviously, however, the invention could used equally .as well with" double or triple glasswindows. Furthermore, whereas :the beam of light has been shown as being reflectedtwice to through the window pane four-times, 0 vi-. ously, the beam could be reflected on1 once,

without departing from the spirit-of theinvention, the circumstances surrounding each individual installation, determining, of course, the arrangements and-design of each tration, it should be understood that the in- I vention is not limited to the exact disclosure described, as many modifications may be made by those skilled in the art withoutde parting from the spirit of the invention.

WhatIclaimis: a 1. Apparatus for controlling the amount of vapor in a fluidcontained within an enclosure, comprising a vapor source, control! means for controlling the addition of vapor from said source, a medium contained within said enclosure having one side exposed to a difierent temperature from thatsaid enclosure, means for directing alight beam upon the surface of saidinedium, means Mtuated by light variations from said medium caused by any condensation thereon-for actu-. ating said control means, and means fordecreasing the intensity of the light beam reach-' ing said second mentioned means when there is no condensation of vapor on the surface of 12 has been illustrated said medium, and for increasing the intensity 2. Apparatus for controlling the amount of moisture added to the air within an inclosure, 3 comprising a moisture supplying source, con- *trol means for varying the amount of mois-- ture supplied by said source, a medium contained within said enclosure and having a ortionexposed toa temperature different that within'said enclosure, means'for direct- "ing a light beam upon the surface of saidmedium, means for changin'g the light variations leaving said medium caused by anycondensation of moisture thereoninto electrical variations, means actuated by said electrical variations for actuating said control means, and means-for decreasing the intensity of the light beam reaching said 'second mentioned means when there is no condensation of moisture on the surface of said medium, and for increasing the intensity of the light beam reaching said second mentioned means upon the actuation of said control meansto decrease v the amount of mpisture supplied by saidsource. 3. Apparatus for controlling the amount of moisture added to the air-within anonclosure comprising a moisture supply source, I

control means for varying the amount of moisture supplied b said source,'-a f nedium -contai ned.within said enclosure and having I a portion 'exposed to a tem erature difierent 1 from thatwithinsaid en osure, means for or: could be reflected. any number. 0 times 'directin a light beam. upon the surface of [said-me um, a photo-electric cell for changing light variations leaving. said medium .caused' by any condensation of moisture thereon into electrical variations, means actuated by said electrical variations for actu- "is no condensation of moisture on the surface v of-said medium, and for increasing the intensityof the light beam reaching the photoelectric cell upon the actuation of said control means to decrease the amount of moisture supplied by said source.

4. Apparatus for controlling the amount of moisture added to the air within a room having a window .pane separating-said room from the outside air, comprising a moisture supply source, control means for varying the amount of moisture supplied'by said source, for directing a light beam through said window pane, a reflecting surface outside said room for reflecting said light beam backthrough said window pane into said room, a photo-electric cell for changing light variations through said window pane caused by any condensation thereon into electrical variations, means actuated by said electrical variations for actuating said control means,

and means for decreasing the intensity of the light beam reaching the photoelectric cell when there is no moisture on the Window pane, and for increasing the intensity of the light beam reaching the photo-electric cell upon the actuation of said control means to decrease the amount of moisture supplied by said source.

5. Apparatus for controlling the amount of moisture added to the air within an enclosure comprising a moisture supply source, control means for varying the amount of moisture supplied by said source, a medium contained within said enclosure and having a portion exposed to a temperature of that within said enclosure, means for directin a light beam upon the surface ofsaid me ium, a photoelectric cell for changing light variations leaving said medium caused by any conden sation of moisture thereon to electrical variations, means actuated by said electrical variations for actuating said control means, and means for introducing a light shutter between said medium and said photo-electric cell when there is no condensation of moisture on the surface of said medium and for removing said light shutter upon the actuation of said control means to decrease the amount of moisture supplied by said source.

6. Apparatus for controlling the amount of moisture added to the air within a room having a window pane separating said room from the outside air comprising a humidifier,

means for directing a light beam from within said room through said window pane, a reflecting surface outside said ro m for reflecting the light beam back through said window pane, a photo-electric cell inside said room in line with the light beam reflected from said surface into said room, control means actuated by said photo-electric cell for reducing the amount of moisture supplied by said humidifier when condensation a pears on said window pane to decrease t e amount of light 'reachlng said photo-electric cell from said source, and means for introducing a light shutter between said photoelectric cell and said window pane when there is no condensation of moisture on the surface of said window pane and for removing said shutter upon the actuation of said control means to reduce the amount of moisture sup plied by said humidifier.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

SAMUEL M. ANDERSON. 

